Chapter 16
The mornings were fairly easy to deal with, as everyone seemed so ready to help and talk to her (that is, everyone except the house servants, which seemed to always vanish on thin air whenever they saw her alone). The afternoons were another matter entirely.
Despite what its placid exterior seemed to impart, Sam soon found out the Jiang Household needed quite a lot of work - and just how much work her sister had to do everyday only for the roof not to collapse over their heads.
To have such a smooth and healthy environment...? Sam trembled only remembering everything her sister would do, being called back and forth to solve every single trifling matter. It wouldn't be uncommon for her to lay back at night, fighting sleep, while thinking about the life she was being presented to.
It was hard not to question whether all those ch.o.r.es were the rule at every n.o.ble manor, or if the Jiang's were having a particularly trying life.
"It doesn't matter how much time has pa.s.sed, a scandal is always a scandal" she concluded, and her new family seemed to still be elbows deep on the shady matter with their father.
With all things considered, Sam decided she had to make something out of herself instead of only going around and being in Qing Shan's way all the time (she could swear Zi Zhou had given her an annoyed glare more than once when she thought Sam was distracted).
As laying down, relaxing and reading a good book was NOT an option, she decided to try writing about this new experience, registering some thoughts and amusing memories of her past with Amelia and her parents. Soon, though, the activity turned gloomy, and Sam decided that, if she didn't find something to coccus rather than diving head first in the past, she would end up a puddle of wallowing and self-pity.
"Ah Mei" she had asked her maid eventually "What is it that young girls do in this place to amuse themselves?".
If the girl's shocked, round eyes were anything to go with, Sam was quite sure she had said the wrong thing. Again.
"I mean" she added fast "What did Ying... Ahem... eh... I. What did I usually do to pa.s.s the time?".
Ah Mei frowned, still looking suspiciously at Sam, that tried keeping her best, brilliant smile.
"Xiaojie, you would usually sing, or play the Guqin with San Xiaojie" she answered slowly, as if choosing her words "Miss would also embroider some handkerchiefs and paint".
Sam blinked. A small trail of sweat laid down her neck.
"Hum... What else?". Because, surely, there HAD to be something else!
"This servant heard Miss also enjoyed riding horses" the girl answered thoughtfully, a smile lighting her eyes "Young Master used to praise Miss, saying you were one of the finest horsewoman's of his acquaintance".
"Ah... He did, right?" sam laughed, crying inside her heart.
How come there was absolutely NOTHING to do that she actually knew how to?! Was that a curse??
"Walk" she had said briskly "Let's walk".
Rumbling the courtyards and large corridors was quite fascinating at the beginning, as everything looked different and so foreign in stile and coloring from what she was used to. But even that became boring after the third day.
That was how, on a very inconspicuous evening, when she was fanning herself under the shadow of a tree besides a very winded Ah Mei, she saw them. A group of large men, all of them wearing simple-coloring clothes, with leather protections and knifes and swords sheathed all over their bodies. In fact, the only thing missing from their rough appearances and tall frames were the metal plaques and war helmet.
"Ah... Ah Mei, who are those guys?".
"Hum?" Ah Mei had grumbled, still a bit breathless, her eyes rising "Ah... Xiaojie, those are high ranking war officials... They usually come by to speak with young master.".
"Indeed?" Sam thought to herself, curiosity spiking up "What could they probably have to talk so much about with him? Ah Mei, aren't you curious?".
Ah Mei gasped.
"Xiaojie, you can't!" she grasped desperately at the elder girls robes, trying to stop her, but at that point, Sam was already halfway down, a spring on her steps as she followed those people through that maze of a house.
After arriving at her brother's courtyard, however, the only thing they were able to see, from a corner near the open windows, were hushed words and a small piece of paper changing hands, before the strange men bowed and took their leave.
That was how Fei Hong had found her the first time, being almost unable to hold in his smile at seeing the mischievous streak that had always been present on his sister return.
"Ah Ying!" he had called, startling the two girls almost to the point of making them fall face first on the ground "It's good you're here! I was just about to begin a chess match. Would you like to join me?".
And, just like that, Sam's afternoons became filled with conversations and encounters with her brother. Every now and them, while on her way to his place, she would still spot some military people, arising her curiosity once more, but whenever she asked her brother about it he would only sigh deeply, his left hand playing distractedly with the black pieces he was using.
"We are in a very delicate situation" he said once "General He is still at the borders, trying to pacify the rebel leaders and find a solution that doesn't bring the entire Zao kingdom to war again...".
"It doesn't look good, though, does it?" she asked tentatively.
"No" he agreed, grief coloring his voice "It really doesn't.".
And so the subject was dropped. She still saw the movement and couldn't shake the bad feeling it was giving her. But doesn't matter how much time pa.s.sed, or how frustrated her brother
From everything she had heard about him, Sam decided, on her head, General He had indeed a very distinguish, very heroic persona. Probably middle-aged, with a few whites on his temple and a long scar crossing his right eyebrow. He would be tall, and stern, and have the kind of aura that commanded people around him. A war calloused men with rough personality and straight, direct manners.
So, when she saw the REAL men, the one supposed to be on the BORDERS being amazing and all that, she felt it all was a bit... Well... Anticlimactic.
'So... Fei Hong's famous General He... The kingdom's brightest star... Is actually a lovestruck flower boy?' she mused, sighing dramatically to herself. 'Too disappointing... Really disappointing'.
But then Qing Shan had gone back inside... And it was with a very cold, very painful s.h.i.+ver running down her spine that Sam watched, in growing panic, as the General's eyes turned cold, his lips thinned and an almost murderous, powerful aura enveloped him. It was almost as if she could feel it... Touch that energy with the tip of her fingers just by extending her hand.
"I know you are there Ying Yue." he said, his voice resonating through her bones like the executioner's drums "Don't insult me by pretending I didn't notice you".
Paralyzed, terrified, and strongly considering fleeing for dear life, the only thing Sam was able to do was close her eyes, her head repeatedly knocking at the wall behind her. 'Ah! I'm done! I'm really done for this time! Heavens, why, why me?! Is this karma or retribution?!'.
"Xiaojie...!" Ah Mei whispered urgently, her hands tugging at the girl's sleeves repeatedly "Xiaojie!!"
But Sam just couldn't bring herself to move. Frozen, her mind racing at a hundred miles per hour, she tried to rationalize the best course of action.
'Did he know I was here all along? But if he did, then... Then, why didn't he say anything earlier? He wouldn't want to vent all his unsuccessful romantic life frustrations upon me, would he? But surely he was not the kind of person to want THAT type of conversation being overheard...!'
"Not good" she whined, looking at Ah Mei with her heart on her mouth "this is SO not good...!".
"Xiaojie!! The General!!" Ah Mei hissed desperately, her eyes darting from the man to her mistress.
Sam stopped, looking indignantly at her.
"And what the h.e.l.l do you want me to do?! Hein?!" she hissed back "Just willingly present myself for sacrifice?!".
Ah Mei blinked, looking expectantly at her.
Before she could muster enough indignation, the noise of something hitting the ground, hard, behind them had the both girls jumping up in fright, completely forgetting their current situation in between their fast-pounding hearts.
"Aya!" Sam exclaimed, looking around with a hand on her chest "What the h.e.l.l was tha..." she stopped mid-sentence, her eyes finally glancing by General He.
A perfect statue. If not for a few stones he was still carelessly trowing up and down on his right hand.
Sam gulped, all the color draining from her face.
'So that's what happened' she commiserated, feeling wronged.
Meanwhile, he just stared at her, his look so intense, his aura so powerful, that Sam simply couldn't help feeling fidgety.
The General hadn't said anything else, as if knowing she needed a few moments to collect her bearings. His strategically careless stance, though, didn't fool Sam for a second. She knew, without even trying, that scape was not an option anymore.
General He would be over her before she could say 'Darn it'.
With a single glance at Ah Mei's paper-white face, Sam turned on her heals and plastered her most empty, most fake and dumb smile on her face.
"Oh! General! You are here!" she laughed, walking forward and away from the bushes with a careless, easy stride "What a coincidence! I was just there, looking at some flowers! They are blooming quite beautifully, don't you think?".
The man didn't say anything, only letting his eyes wander up and down her frame... Sliding slowly once again to the beautiful Morning Blesses Qing Shan had talked about.
Right before ripping his heart out and dancing the Conga over it.
'Ok. Wrong approach'.
"So!" she exclaimed loudly, her arms swinging by her sides "Fei Hong told me about the situation at the borders! He has been quite worried about you."
"Highness!" Ah Mei whispered frantically at her ear "Miss, 'your highness'!".
"Your... Highness! Right!" Sam exclaimed, laughing again "Because... You are a prince! I mean, of course Your Highness is a prince! And at our house. Right now." she blabbed, feeling his eyes narrowing by the second like scissor slowly cutting her lifeline "Your Highness probably wants to talk to my brother, right? Don't worry, don't worry! Stay right there and I'll fetch him real quick! Just let Ah Mei know if you need anything!". 'And, please, let me get out of here In one piece!' she mentally added.
Behind her, Ah Mei stifled a cry, almost trying to infuse herself onto Sam's body.
'Xiaojie' she thought 'why do you hate this servant so much, ah?! Don't you want me to live anymore??'.
Before anyone could say or do anything else, though, the General's voice, cold and distance, cut the sweet smelling air.
"I heard you lost your memory".
Sam blinked, her mind completely blank.
"I... Eh... Yes. I forgot everything. Your Highness" she stuttered, not quite knowing what to expect.
He frowned.
"In the end, we really did miscalculate" he said to himself, suddenly looking quite worried "This was a variable no-one could have foreseen." he looked at her "Still, I'm surprised you didn't make provisions in case the worst happened. But then, maybe you did. You have always been quite a fascinating little thing.".
Sam stammered a step back, her body going completely cold as the two of them stared at each other. She didn't know why, or what exactly she had seen on his scrutinizing gaze, but there was suddenly a though echoing on her mind, claiming for her attention like her longs asked for air.
'He knows'. Sam didn't know how she knew it, but there was no doubt on her mind at that point.
Whatever it was that had happened to the old Ying Yue, General He knew about it. And probably was involved as well.
The though made her s.h.i.+ver. There was no telling HOW exactly he was involved.
Instead of saying anything, she only forced a laugh.
"General, you are praising this servant too much! I really don't understand what you are talking about!".
He gave another step on her direction. Ah Mei s.h.i.+rked even more on her back.
"I just wanted to ask you, and I will be able to tell if you are lying" he warned "you really don't remember anything from what happened that day?".
Sam closed her hands in a tight grip, holding her stand as best as she could.
"I really don't remember anything" she answered unwavering, blood rus.h.i.+ng on her ears.
He still studied her face for a few seconds before nodding absentmindedly, seeming to conclude there was nothing there.
"I see" he said eventually
"I told you the truth, even though I don't really know you" Sam stated slowly, trying to gather her courage "In return... I would like to ask your Highness to treat me with the same courtesy and answer... What is it exactly that I have to remember? What do you know about what happened to me?".
Right at that moment, Ah Mei felt like dying from a heart attack. What was her miss THINKING? Did she get tired of living?!?! And why, why did Miss have to bring Ah Mei down with her???
Instead of answering, General He only studied her for a few more seconds, a slow, barely perceptible movement curving the tip of his lips upward.
He seemed almost... Amused.
"Don't bother calling your brother. I've already overspent my stay." he said eventually, already turning his back to leave "And girl... For all of ours sakes... I hope you find the answers you are looking for. We will talk again soon enough".
Sam wanted to call him back and demand an explanation, but before she could say a single word, he had already left.
There was only the two girls on the empty yard, the wind blowing slowly through the tree branches, its voice singing and summer and blooms.
Suddenly, Sam felt her body s.h.i.+fting as her knees gave out below her. Whatever the surge of adrenaline that had pumped her through the audacious act of questioning the general, it had definitely waned out.
"Oh G.o.d!" she whispered, barely aware of Ah Mei fussing around her, her face just as white as Sam's "I'm so scr*wed!".
"Miss!" Ah Mei insisted "We should really go back! You are not looking well!".
"Back?" Sam frowned, glancing at her maid "No... No! Let's go!" she decided, taking the younger girl's hands as an aid in getting back on her shaking legs "We decided to go out this morning, and it is exactly what we are doing!".
"But Miss, you..."
"It's alright" Sam a.s.sured her, with a tentative smile "I need some fresh air... And besides, we never know when such a good opportunity will present itself again".
Ah Mei frowned, but seeing the almost desperate edge to her master's speech, she decided to only nod and company her on sneaking out.
Meanwhile, Sam tried to calm the chaos going on on her head. 'Provisions...' She couldn't shake the feeling that General He knew the old Ying Yue better than anyone thought. If she had gone back to her room, she'd get herself sick by trying to find the key to put all those peaces together.
But right now she knew she didn't have the strength. There was still her illiteracy to be taken care of.
And those books... They probably had something to do with all this - or else, why would anyone store it on a safe?
'Ying Yue, Ying Yue... You were not that simple, were you?' she mused at herself, barely noticing as the two of them crossed the Jiang Manor gates, finally living the house behind and entering the bustling and lively Imperial City.